Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1887-10-11
WASHINGTON Letter.
WAsmNaroN. D. C.. oct. z. 1851.

held last week, o b purpose OF Or
ganizing the National Democratic As
s%ociation, and the following officers
elected: Pres, Col. A. j. Ferry, of
Va. v. Pres, N. F. Acers, of Kan.
Sec'y, Lawrence Gardner, of Dist.
Col. !; Asst Sec'y, S. A. Foose, OF
Penna. Sergt. at Arms, John Cook.
of Ohio. The circular calling the
meeting reads as follows: We, the
undersigned, agree to meet when
called upon, for the purpose of or,
ganizing a National Democratic Club
or League, to be devoted to the teach
ing of Democracy in its simplicity
and purity, the perpctuation of our
present form of government and the
protection of our institutions"
With S79, ZOO, 900 paid out last
year for pensions, or about as much
as a fi~rst-class European power spends
on its standing army, it a hardly
be said that the government has been
neglecting the ex-Federal soldiers.
The estimated reduction Of the
public debt for the month of Septem-
Der last, is SIG 1000, 600.
The Inter State Commerce Com
mission has submitted estimates fol-
the coming fiscal year as follows
Salaries of Commissioners S37 200
Salary of secretary $4,000; all other
necessary expenses, S159,000; total,
5000, 600. The present appropriation
is S1O0,O 900.
A brewer, from Cincinnati, came
te the city, recently, to call on the
Russian minister on a matter of bus
mess, but before he reached the min
lister he was arrested and locked up
for vagrancy. Being released the
next day he visited the minister and
collected $4,000 due him from an
estate in Russia. The same night he
was arrested for being drunk and was
again locked up. Next morning he
said he was tired sleeping in the sta
ton house and took the first train for
home.
Washington is rapidly building up,
as the following figures will show
In 1885, 1877 buildings were erected,
and in 1886, 2,194, whilst up to the
present time in 1887, 2,456 buildings
have already been constructed.
The B. & o. r. r. Co. recently
proposed to the District Commission
ers to abandon the use of their tracks
to the Y and lay a track down second
street from Boundary to f street
where they would tunnel to meet the
BALTIC. & Potomac tracks, and then
use the b. & =. tracks ard depot
AS this plan would not reduce the
number of surface tracks the COM
missioners declined it.
The grand encampment of knights
Templar will hold its %tri-ennial con-
clave here in October 1889, and in
order that all arrangements may be
perfected in time, the executive COM
mittee of the District of Columbia
held their first meeting on September
3Oth, last, and are now thoroughly
organized. Sir Knight NJ. NJ. Parker,
of Columbia Commandary, No. 2, is
the chairman.
Sam. Small, who has made Wash
ington his home, delivered q power
full temperance address, before an
immense congregation in the Congre-
gational Church, last Sunday after
noon. During his address he took
occasion to say that eff the devil
himself were here in the city in per-
son lie could do no more for the pro-
lection of the liquor traffic than is
now being DONE"
The Republican organs who have
been making so much fuss over the
alleged snub of Foraker, didn't seem
to think that a snub was such a terri
rible thing when Blaine refused to
shake hands with Senator Edmonds
at ex-President Arthur's funeral
Ohio is a very large State and it has
a very big fool for a governor, and
the whole country is disguised with
the spectacle he has made of himself.
News comes from Kansas that Bos-
ton Corbett, the man who shot John
Wilkes Booth the assassin of Pres
ident Lincoln, has been declared
hopelessly insane and taken to the
State insane asylum, where he will
probably remain as long as he lives.
Soon after he killed Booth, Corbett
received an anonymous letter threat
ening his life. He really believed the
threat would be carried out, and that
and the deed he committed has effec-
tually blighted his life. He main
tains that friends of Booth are con-
tinually on his track, and went to
Kansas more than fifteen years ago
and located in an uninhabited portion
of the State for the purpose of elud-
ing his imaginary pursuers.
In view of the recent letter of Civil
Service Commissioner Oberly, the
Maryland Democratic Club of this
city has unanimously adopted the
following resolution: RESOLVED, That
the Maryland Democratic Club, COM
posed of stalwart Democrats, is or
ganized to attend to its own business"
The demonstration, last Thursday
night, to welcome back to the city ex-
Gov. Shepherd, after an absence of
seven years, in every way was a grand
success. A continual blaze of fire.
works filled the air, and the city IA
illuminated with many beautiful col
ored fires. The most interesting fea-
ture of the parade was that of wheel
men. There were all kinds of ma
chimes, from a single wheel up to a
machine large enough to carry a whole
family. The militia presented a fine
appearance. They were headed by
the marine band, which played
" Home Sweet Home" as they ap-
~roo.bo1 tho stand nm (which Sf0O6